President Obama today attempted to be serious about our War on Terror, Guantanamo Bay and what we should be doing with Home Grown Terrorists. His comments landed with a thud. Several hecklers….stepped up to the plate. Evidently, they don’t tweet and have a tough time getting into their Face Book Accounts.

The cute little girl from Code Pink raised her voice, almost to the point of screaming. We kept waiting for the Security Guards to Taser and remove her from the premises, but that didn’t seem to happen. The President finally stopped in the middle of his remarks…even though whatever she was saying could not be heard clearly. The President waited patiently……and finally…the Security people must have come…..off camera and took her away. It was agonizing for those of us watching, but the President remained calm….and carried on.

The issue of Drones and other National Security isses were broached by the President at the National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C. How do those Code Pink get into all these events? Doesn’t the Secret Service ever know what is happening? Don’t bother to answer that! They do seem to know down in South America…pretty good.

Back to the endemic Drone issue. OK, Drones are fast becoming ubiquitous for every Tom, Dick and Harry…..as well as every known country, Walmarts, Costcos and Target stores in America. Well, maybe not……but they are coming soon. The President then mentions that he is “cutting back” on his use of Drones to protect the General Welfare of the United States. Our question is: Why? Drones are efficient, cost effective and save the lives of Special Forces, Military detachments and in fact offers limited Logistical problems, training and planning. Drones work in every country…..Drones work and take out who we want to take out. Collateral Damage aside…….we reduce our Military footprint in the world, while directing specialized operations at targets we know are the enemy.

Who should be running the Drone Ops? The US Military – Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army and National Guard or the CIA? The answer is: All of the above! Who should be in charge of oversight? The Secretary of Defense and the National Security Advisor and the Director of Homeland Security, the Director of the CIA and the Director of the FBI. This five-panel board should report to the President and Vice President with their suggestions. The final approval should not be limited to the President…..but to the Secretary of Defense – even though any member of this “inner council” could add their vote.

Should we send the message that Drone Strikes are going to be limited, the unintended consequences will be that our enemies may feel embolden or worse yet; step up their time tables for terror. Mr. President, stand your ground on Drones. They work and they need to work to save expensive incursions by land forces or air or sea forces. Limit our shadow globally Mr. President. We already stand out in a crowd and have plenty of exposure. The recent events in London bring a cautionary tale…..that suggests that unrest in the Muslim communities around the world are on the rise…..not decline.

Our Drone responses should be based on the demand in the Global Community. Let us not unilaterally disarm or downgrade our strategy without knowing that the threats have diminished. We need all the tools in the shed and certainly want to save as many American lives as possible. Sadly however, your promise to attack American Citizens on American Soil…maybe a promise that is hard to keep. What about co-conspirators? What about Radicalized American Citizens that are being proselytized by neighbors, friend, family members or buddies on the web? What if their local Mosque or Church is being used as a central gathering place for Revolutionary Wrong Doing. This happens to be a element of the 1970’s. The Sibonese Liberation Army comes to mind along with 30 or 40 more ad hoc groups against the government. If any of these groups threatens a Mall, a Civic Center or Business Center……the use of Drones maybe the only option in many cases.

So, Mr. President – great speech today. You handled yourself with great elan. The big issue however is not Guantanamo, not the IRS, not the AP issue nor anything else – Think National Security…..and think why it may not be in the best interest of this country to restrict our use of viable weapon systems that limit destruction and loss of life – the best we can!

One more Drone – for the road. Mr. President!

About Ron & Anna Winship

Independent News Producers/Writers and Directors for Parker-Longbow Productions. Independent Programming which includes a broad variety of Political, Entertainment and Professional Personalities. Cutting Edge - a talk show...is the flagship of over 30 URL websites developed or under development.
The Winships have been blogging for the Orange Juice since back when nickels had buffalos on them, and men wore onions attached to their belts, because it was the fashion back then.

16 Comments

In a broad and comprehensive address at National Defense University, President Obama laid out the framework for U.S. counter-terrorism strategy as we wind down the war in Afghanistan. The President provided the American people with an update on how the threat of terrorism has changed substantially since September 11, 2001, as Al Qaeda’s core in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been decimated, and new threats have emerged from al Qaeda affiliates, localized extremist groups, and homegrown terrorists. The President also discussed our comprehensive strategy to meet these threats, including waging the war against al Qaeda and our counter-terrorism efforts more broadly. The following are some of the policy highlights from the President’s speech:

Responding to the Threat: Targeting Terrorists and Leveraging Effective Partnerships

Our response to terrorism cannot depend on military or law enforcement alone. We need all elements of national power to win a battle of wills and ideas. First, we must finish the work of defeating al Qaeda and its associated forces. In Afghanistan, we will complete our transition to Afghan responsibility for security and work with the Afghan government to train security forces, and sustain a counter-terrorism force that ensures al Qaeda can never again establish a safe-haven to launch attacks against us or our allies.

Beyond Afghanistan, we must define our effort not as a boundless ‘global war on terror’ – but rather as a series of persistent, targeted efforts to dismantle specific networks of violent extremists that threaten America. In many cases, this will involve partnerships with other countries. Much of our best counter-terrorism cooperation results in the gathering and sharing of intelligence and the arrest and prosecution of terrorists.

Standards for Taking Lethal Action

Despite our strong preference for the detention and prosecution of terrorists, sometimes this approach is foreclosed. Al Qaeda and its affiliates try to gain a foothold in some of the most distant and unforgiving places on Earth. In this context, the United States has taken lethal, targeted action against al Qaeda and its associated forces, including with remotely piloted aircraft commonly referred to as drones. As was true in previous armed conflicts, this new technology raises profound questions – about who is targeted, and why; about civilian casualties, and the risk of creating new enemies; about the legality of such strikes under U.S. and international law; about accountability and morality. The President’s speech addressed many of those questions.

Our actions are effective. Dozens of highly skilled core al Qaeda commanders, trainers, bomb makers, and operatives have been taken off the battlefield. Plots have been disrupted that would have targeted international aviation, U.S. transit systems, European cities and our troops in Afghanistan. These strikes have saved lives.

America’s actions are legal. We were attacked on 9/11. Within a week, Congress overwhelmingly authorized the use of force. Under domestic law, and international law, the United States is at war with al Qaeda, the Taliban, and their associated forces. So this is a just war – a war waged proportionally, in last resort, and in self-defense.

Over the last four years, the Administration has worked vigorously to establish a framework that governs our use of force against terrorists – insisting upon clear guidelines, oversight and accountability that is now codified in Presidential Policy Guidance the President signed on May 22, 2013. As a part of that effort, the President has indicated a preference that the U.S. military should carry out the use of force in active warzones, and beyond.

Oversight and Authorities

We insist on strong oversight. Since the President took office, the Administration began briefing all strikes outside of Iraq and Afghanistan to the appropriate committees of Congress. Congress is briefed on every targeted strike we take, including the one instance when we specifically targeted an American citizen: Anwar Awlaki, the chief of external operations for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). This week, the President authorized the declassification of this action, and the deaths of three other Americans in drone strikes, in part to facilitate transparency and debate on this issue, and to dismiss some of the more outlandish claims. In his speech, the President stated for the record that he does not believe it would be constitutional for the government to target and kill any U.S. citizen without due process. Nor should any President deploy armed drones over U.S. soil.

When a U.S. citizen goes abroad to wage war against America – and is actively plotting to kill U.S. citizens — and when neither the U.S. nor our partners are in a position to capture him before he carries out a plot – his citizenship should not serve as a shield.

Going forward, the President has asked his Administration to review proposals to extend oversight of lethal actions beyond Congress, including the potential for a special court in the judicial branch, or an independent oversight board within the executive branch.

In his speech, the President also stated his intention to engage Congress about the existing Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) to determine how we can continue to fight terrorists without keeping America on a perpetual war-time footing. The President will engage Congress and the American people in efforts to refine, and ultimately repeal, the AUMF’s mandate.

Beyond the Use of Force: Diplomatic Engagement and Assistance

Our strategy involves addressing the underlying grievances and conflicts that feed extremism from North Africa to South Asia. Our security and our values demand that we make this effort. But, success requires sustained engagement, which will require resources. Foreign aid amounts to less than one percent of our budget and it is fundamental to our national security. For what we spent in a month in Iraq at the height of the war, we could be training security forces in Libya, maintaining peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors, feeding the hungry in Yemen, building schools in Pakistan that offer an alternative to extremism, and creating reservoirs of goodwill that marginalize extremists. Going forward, we will need to support democratic transitions in the Arab World; support the Syrian opposition and isolate extremists; and resolve conflicts in places like the Middle East.

The United States cannot carry out this work if we do not have diplomats serving in dangerous places. Over the past decade, we have strengthened security at our Embassies abroad, and we are implementing every recommendation of the Accountability Review Board that found unacceptable failures in Benghazi. The President has called on Congress to fully fund efforts to bolster security, harden our facilities, improve intelligence, and facilitate a quicker response time from our military if a crisis emerges.

Domestic Radicalization

Even as we guard against dangers from abroad, we cannot neglect the daunting challenge of terrorism from within our borders. This threat is not new, but technology and the Internet have increased its frequency and lethality. To address this threat, the President’s Administration did a comprehensive review in 2011. The best way to prevent violent extremism is to work with the American Muslim community, which has consistently rejected extremism. Our communities must work together to understand the signs of radicalization, and partner with law enforcement when an individual is drifting towards violence. And these partnerships can only work when we respect that Muslims are a fundamental part of the American fabric.

A Balance Between Security and Civil Liberties

Thwarting homegrown plots presents particular challenges in part because of our proud commitment to civil liberties for all who call America home. That’s why we must keep working hard to strike the appropriate balance between our need for security and preserving those freedoms that make us who we are. That means reviewing the authorities of law enforcement so we can intercept new types of communication, and build in privacy protections to prevent abuse. That means that even after Boston we do not deport someone or throw someone in prison in the absence of evidence. That means putting careful constraints on the tools the government uses to protect sensitive information, such as the State Secrets doctrine. And that means finally establishing a strong Privacy and Civil Liberties Board to review those issues where our counter-terrorism efforts and our values come into tension.

As the President said in his speech, we must keep information secret that protects our operations and our people in the field. To do so, we must enforce consequences for those who break the law and breach their commitment to protect classified information. But a free press is also essential for our democracy. That is why the President has called on Congress to pass a media shield law that guards against government over-reach. And the Attorney General will review existing Department of Justice guidelines governing investigations that involve reporters, and will convene a group of media organization to hear their concerns as a part of that review. He will report back to the President by July 12.

Closing Guantanamo

President Obama has tried to close Guantanamo, and transferred 67 detainees to other countries before Congress imposed restrictions to prevent us from either transferring detainees to other countries, or imprisoning them in the United States. In his speech, the President called on Congress to lift the restrictions on detainee transfers from Guantanamo. He has asked the Department of Defense to designate a site in the United States where we can hold military commissions, and he is appointing new, senior envoys at the State Department and the Defense Department whose sole responsibility will be to negotiate the transfer of detainees to third countries. The President announced we will lift the moratorium on detainee transfers to Yemen, so we can review them on a case by case basis. When possible, we will transfer detainees who have been cleared to go to other countries. Where appropriate, we will bring terrorists to justice in our courts and military justice system. And we will judicial review be available for every detainee.

*Anon – come on now….what about our 16 Marines that died in the Mortar Training Exercise in Nevada? Where is the moral outrage there? What about the weekily deaths of the flower of American youth….(although Volunteer) that die in EID attacks in Afghanistan? Had we had Drones before Pan Am Flight over Lockerbee…..we could have dusted that one in Libya……before the plane left from Rome.

*Anon – if you don’t believe that tactic has been in the works for quite a while….just look to our Chechen Bros…..with their three buddies covering up evidence in Boston….the other guy …along with two more that are working together out of Orlando……..and of course bunches more that are still to be uncovered. Yep, just remember this: If we are attacking…they have to be defending first. Laying back is the last thing we need to do ….at this point. Can’t wait to see how the Nadal trial works out……and who were co-conspirators in that one. The beloved Army Psycho Doc. Remember?

anon

Posted May 23, 2013 at 9:39 PM

Blowing off two bombs during the Boston Marathon, or killing a British soldier on the streets of London in broad daylight doesn’t strike me as a particularly defensive posture.

“…..what about our 16 Marines that died in the Mortar Training Exercise in Nevada?”

First get your facts straight. Or somewhat close.

Seven Marines were killed. Not 25, or 6,2,4.

Show some respect for our kids that lost their lives.

So do you think the world mourns for our loss of our seven young men being trained to kill their young men, and women, and children? Doubtful.

Don’t think that our, your’s and mine, killing of men, women, and children in the name of “freedom” doesn’t come with a cost. That cost is that we are spawning people hellbent on taking us down, piece by piece.

So we kill 10 of them, and create 20 more that want to kill us. How does that work out in the long run? Do the math.

Oh, I know…. we have to build more drones, and kill more enemy combatants, and create more enemies, and build more drones, then they get drones, so then we need lasers, then we have to cut Social Security, and Medicare, and education to pay for the lasers, because everybody hates us and wants to kill us. Jesus, we have to have lasers to be safe, and we need lasers on top of every traffic light to protect us, and hey, that guy just ran a red light so we can vaporize him and his car because he can’t be trusted……

*Demo….you’re quite right on a variety of issues. Problematic comes to mind. If we do not protect ourselves, do not respond to terrorist attacks….do you think they will simply go away on their own? No, that horse has left the barn…..because of two wars; Iraq and Afghanistan…along with the other eight “Stans” that have become involved as well. You add that to the various “Arab S[pring” events……and of course don’t forget our pals in Israel that are still building “Settlements” in Palestinian terrority….which certainly doesn’t inspire calm throughout the Arab, Asian and African worlds much either . Hey, the world have become a crazy place and all the old paradigms have casually slipped away regarding “war as a global event”.

Defending the homeland should come first…we hope you agree. With that in mind we are always open to hear ways that can be accomplished without all those cogent talking points that you elucidated.

I found this reply on Michael Franti’s Facebook page…I cannot say it better than him…

A Drone by any other name is still a bomb

Many people have written to me lately asking my opinion on the use of Drone weapons by the Obama administration. A Drone is un unmanned, remotely controlled aircraft used for surveillance and bombing. I have seen first hand the effects of bombing on children in Iraq, on U.S. soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, on families in Israel, Palestine, East Timor and in visiting with survivors of the Hiroshima bombing in Japan. In my eyes a bomb is a bomb, it does not matter if that bomb is dropped from an F-15 fighter jet, shot from a tank, disguised in a truck parked outside a building, strapped to the body of a suicide attacker or by an unmanned drone piloted by someone with a joystick from an air-conditioned bunker thousands of miles away. A bomb has one purpose: to explode and kill or maim anyone within it’s radius.

A bomb does not discriminate based on age, gender, religion or someone’s guilt or innocence. It merely blows up and whoever is in it’s way, is doomed to suffer it’s deathly wrath. I do not approve of their use anywhere, by anyone. I have witnessed the destruction, death and pain, which often results in bitterness, fear, hatred and retaliation by the survivors. And so the cycle goes, passed on for generations. I do not approve of their use as a pre-emptive foreign policy strategy, in fact I feel in this case they do exactly the opposite of what they are intended for, rather than bring people closer together, the death they cause brings about more hatred towards those who use them.

I am opposed to the use of bombs by the Obama administration as much as I was opposed to their use by the Bush ll, Clinton, Bush l, and Reagan administrations. I am equally opposed to their use by suicide attackers, attention seekers in misguided acts of hatred, and by those who use their destructive power to create fear for political gain or notoriety. Called by any name, a bomb is still a bomb.

We can we can bomb the world to pieces, but we can’t bomb it into peace.

*Inge….we must preface our remarks by our similar regard for human life and the fact that war is the most disagreeable actions of mankind.

Looking back at those early days of Osama Bin Laden chatting it up in a jocular fashion after 9/11 among his rugs, his AK-47 and his pals who had come to visit the greatest tactician of the Muslim empire since Saladin……..we were taken by the total collegiality of his remarks to his co-conspirators. When interviewed later by the Western Reporters…he paid little attention to any remorse or contrite behavior. His small Army that soon would be facing the mountains of Bora Bora in Afghanistan stood tall in the face of every bomb we were able to throw at him. His escape from Bora Bora was a grand low point in our battle with those that have no regard for human life, theirs, their families, their friends and naturally any enemies that are identified. His legacy seems to have not diminished. Mother’s in these countries raise their small children to become suicide bombers.

Those early days were shocking to the American psyche of Mom, home cooking, apple pie and barbeques with friends and family. The lack of concern for human life, we first faced in World War II….against Japan. Then in Korea, then in Vietnam and now that rabid thought process has spread across our planet through the middle east and of course Africa. If we look carefully at any of the areas near the “stans”….including Chechnia…..those issues are obvious.

Dear Inge….we of course are aware of the dreaded hell of war and that so-called innocents can be sacrificed. We can only draw on those parents in this country that barricade themselves inside of their homes and confront authorities with familiy members inside the house. Quite willing to have them killed or seriously injured just to make a statement or challenge a court order. The rules of engagement change as the society changes. This indeed is not a Brady Bunch or Ozzie and Harriet world we seem to be inhabiting. It seems that there is a serious hardening of our society too. The media covers evil, wrong doing, liars and encourages bad behavior. Congress people act in the most abusive manner possible….and are allowed to get away with it. Their peers seldom chastise brutal behavior…..seldom attempt to cite bad behavior in general.

So…the long answer is simply this: Defend our homeland by bad guys or worry every time we walk to the market, go to a ball game, take a trip to the mall or visit a relative.

Drones? You betcha….brutal devices no doubt. A peace treaty would be better…but to whom would this apply?

Don’t be shocked when drones will used on American soil. We will NEVER stop terrorism with violence. And the boys who make weapons have NO intention of peaceful solutions… there is no $$$ to be made living in a peaceful world.

Let me add homemade bombs… crazies with automatic weapons…its all the same thing….humans are violent…they CHOOSE to be violent…it starts with changing yourself….like Michael Jackson’s song:

The Mirror” Ringtone to your Cell Man In The Mirror Ringtone
“Man In The Mirror”

I’m Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It’s Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin’ My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
A Summer’s Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man’s Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya’ Know
‘Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That’s Why I Want You To
Know

I’m Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)

Drones have come home to roost, to the center stage and I for one agree that using technology rather than our young soldiers is exactly what we should be discussing. The American people most have decided that drones save soldiers, and teaching our sons and daughters about new technology could be the best way to protect our country today and in the future.

From Slate.com, by William Saletan:

“Drones are coming home. For many years, we’ve used them to hunt and kill enemies in faraway places, now we’re deploying them in the United States, not to kill but to help with civilian missions such as land surveys, livestock monitoring, and search and rescue. But psychologically, the transition is hard. Like soldiers coming home from a war, we’ve become so accustomed to the mentality of combat that we’re having trouble adjusting to the idea of remotely piloted aircraft as a peaceful technology.”